The Mavericks were 2-2 this past week and stayed in 11th place in the West. They lost to Utah (116-114) and Chicago (125-107), and beat Sacramento (100-98) and Brooklyn (113-105). Cooper Flagg led the team in scoring this with 21 points per game. Kyrie Irving (knee) and P.J. Washington (ankle) remained out, while Anthony Davis is feared to have ligament damage in his left hand and has missed the last two games. Daniel Gafford (ankle) missed one game, and Brandon Williams (illness) missed two.
This was one of the more uninspiring weeks of basketball the Mavericks have played since this time last year. The losses they had were embarrassing, and the elephant in the room (Anthony Davis’ injury) looms large. The Mavericks are once again in a stretch where their offense looks dreadful, ranking 25th (107.4) in offensive rating over their last four games. They have guys in and out of the lineup, a feeling reminiscent of February and March of 2025. Enjoyment in watching this team right now almost exclusively ties to the minutes Cooper Flagg is on the floor. Thankfully, he has played 34 of the 48 minutes in each of these games, so the viewing experience is not all bad.
The players are playing hard. That being said, the organization, in the wake of Anthony Davis’ injury, is clearly attempting to tank. I am sure Washington, Gafford, and Williams will all take their time returning. Although the Mavericks beat the Nets, they ran out Jaden Hardy and Dwight Powell in the starting lineup, with Ryan Nembhard and Moussa Cisse available. Dallas is a ball of bleh right now, and even a C grade would feel disingenuous.
Straight A’s: Naji Marshall
Naji Marshall is a good basketball player. In a season of uncertainty and inconsistency, it can be hard to know what you’re watching. With Marshall, it is clear we are watching a guy who can contribute to a championship team. 17 points, 4.3 rebounds, and 4.3 assists on 58.7 percent shooting is what he gave Dallas in the last four games. He can get to the paint, seemingly at will, and provides the connecting tissue that lubricates the offense any time it stagnates. With trade season ramping up, Marshall is a guy who will be looked at by other teams trying to compete. Selfishly, I would love for him to see out the rebuild and be a piece to a contender in Dallas down the road. Unfortunately, given the Mavericks’ current cap and asset situation, it seems like Marshall’s stellar play is just increasing the return Dallas will get when he is inevitably dealt before he signs a potential extension this summer.
Currently Failing: Anthony Davis
It is low-hanging fruit, but the implications of Davis’ recent injury are too extensive to not fail him for a second consecutive week. I am sympathetic to his plight: a man forced into an impossible situation who simultaneously has his body let him down time and again. There is a human being underneath the jersey, and for that guy, I wish nothing but the best. However, what he has done since arriving in Dallas, his fault or not, has inhibited the success of the team. Whether that was through actually limiting their chance to win by way of his extensive injuries or holding the team in purgatory with a “will he, won’t he” trade saga after the firing of general manager Nico Harrison. The Davis-Doncic trade has collapsed and exploded for Dallas in a way even Hollywood would reject as too cliché. The Mavericks need to figure out how to make Davis someone else’s problem as quickly as they can.
Extra Credit: Ryan Nembhard
Nembhard was removed from the starting lineup prior to the win against Houston. He has come off the bench in three of the four games since and has stayed ready. Nembhard scored 10.7 points and dished out 6 assists per game in the last three, and even in the 12 minutes he played against Sacramento, he had four assists and no turnovers. Jason Kidd has leaned toward Brandon Williams recently over Nembhard, but Nembhard has repeatedly shown why you cannot bench him for long. He still is the best passer on the team and makes the most sense alongside Cooper Flagg. And the fact that he stays ready to contribute, no matter the role, is a testament to his dedication to winning.